The use of plastics in housewares continues to grow. In food contact applications, food stain imparted on plastic articles is problematic. Staining is unsightly and detracts from the appearance of the article. The poor appearance of a food stained plastic article oftentimes compels the consumer to throw away the article pre-maturely. Conventional approaches to resist staining have drawbacks. Adding a stain resistant layer to an article adds complexity to production and increases the cost of the article. It is known to increase the crystallinity of a polymer to increase its stain resistance. However, increasing polymer crystallinity simultaneously decreases polymer flexibility and decreases polymer softness.
The art therefore recognizes the need for polymers that exhibit improved stain resistance. In particular, a need exists for polymeric food contact articles with improved stain resistance.